We're living in an age where our entire lives revolve around social media, so it makes sense that that would extend to our dating lives.
Apparently, it's a process just to even announce you've entered into a new relationship on social media.
It's not enough just to start posting pictures of your new beau these days. No, people are announcing their new loves by "soft-launching" their relationships.
Essentially, you post pictures that tease the new man or woman in your life. Maybe a picture from behind so you can't see their face, or maybe a shot of y'all's hands as you're holding them.
Dating and relationship expert Sarah Louise Ryan tells Refinery29, "[A soft-launch is] a subtle way to show the world that you are no longer single or that you're currently immersed in the dating process with someone. It's almost a way to test the waters with that person too, about how you both would like to manage the snapshot of your relationship that shows up on social media."
And believe it or not, choosing how to announce your relationship is a very big deal for some folks.
Ryan says, "Deciding between soft-launching or hard-launching may not seem like a big deal but in this day and age, sharing about your romantic life on social media is a commitment."
And she believes the soft-launch is the way to go. "It is a good thing that relationships are kept private because then people can just focus their energy on what is going on between the two of them. It's a healthy approach to forming something real and long-lasting."
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